Queen of Diamonds
by xeastra
Summary: Lonely Boy has finally been published. But sorry S, it's not about you - he's been inspired by a different UES beauty lately...xoxo  Dair  obviously  Jealous!Chuck&Jealous!Serena/Vanessa...Please read and review!
1. Chapter One

**INTRODUCTION - PUBLICATION**

Blair sat staring at the magazine for a long time before she gathered herself again. It was far from perfect - on first reading alone, she had noticed a couple of clumsy phrases, some blatant plot implausibilities and several rather hackneyed metaphors. And yes these all paled against the glaring, damning central theme. She dropped it with disgust to the floor, though where exactly this disgust was directed was uncertain.

Serena had picked up the magazine out of curiosity, and a little bit of ego. There was something comforting in being the one person Dan would always love, even if she preferred the company of other guys for the time being. This would be the third story he'd written about her, but the only one he'd managed to get properly published in his favourite magazine. Serena sat down and realised how glad she was that Dan was not a novelist, and preferred to stick to under five thousand words. Anything more than that would be exhausting.

Blair read it again, both hoping and fearing that she'd been quick to judge. But it was there. Most of it was even true. She had no idea Humphrey of all people had been that perceptive, had seen right through her. It was unnerving, but there was a shiver of pleasure there too. She felt as though she'd been painted nude: stripped bare, for all to see, but empowered and the whole thing was somehow cathartic. Somewhere along the line she'd forgotten to be angry at Dan. Funny.

Chuck didn't usually read the New Yorker, preferring more fiscal publications. And yet it had been in the Lobby that morning with Dan's name in the bottom corner, and curiosity had gotten the better of him. He'd never counted Humphrey as a friend, but had watched his self-referential, pseudo-intellectualism with a kind of cynical and amused interest. If nothing else, it would funny to read in the limo on the way to Brunch. He tucked the magazine under his arm and left the Empire.

Vanessa read it online and didn't know what to make of it. While some of it could potentially be about their relationship - if she squinted and desperately suspended disbelief- the whole tone was wrong. There was no mistaking who this was really about, and the thought was chilling. She'd thought it was just a rumour, a couple of photographs taken out of context. But now she had to admit. Dan had it bad.

Dan checked his phone for the fourteenth time that morning. It was a little after nine-thirty, and not one single person had commented on his story hitting the news-stands. That was either very good (they were quite simply dumbstruck with awe for his literary talent) or very bad. He feared the latter. Not even his Dad though? He ran a hand through his hair and considered calling Blair. He even got as far as scrolling to her name. But ultimately, this was his grand gesture – the very same as he had encouraged Erik to do weeks earlier. The ball was in her court, and he could only sit here knawing at his own nerves until she deigned to serve back. Which, knowing Blair, could be some wait.

_I was totally diehard Chair until the middle of this season, but the whole Dan/Blair dynamic is so beautifully executed I'm enjoying the diversion. _

_What do you think? PLEASE review – this is my first fanfic of any kind and I'm pretty nervous about posting this. Thanks in advance! SO EXCITED FOR TONIGHT'S EPISODE 3 3 _


	2. Chapter Two

_**Chapter Two**_

_**Thank you for your reviews! They really mean a lot, especially as I've never really written anything before and was expecting dead silence. You have no idea how happy I was to read your lovely lovely comments! **_

_**Anyhoo, I wrote some more today before watching the episode – hope you like it!**_

_Queen Of Diamonds, by Daniel R Humphrey - an excerpt_

_People often use comparisons to diamonds as an insult. The plethora of associations with coldness, capitalism and cruelty. _

_Even perfection can be held up as an imperfection. She made perfection into an accomplishment, similarly composure and the sort of damning self-assurance that leaves everybody trembling in her wake, feeling hopelessly inferior by default. _

_For years, he'd been more than a little afraid. She swept through life – taking ambition to the furthest degree, taking no prisoners and exhibiting a strength that rivalled any diamond. _

_And yet, he began to suspect that she might share further qualities with these funny little rocks. She has as many facets, and even at her worst is more brilliant than any diamond. Those who know her are captivated, obsessed, bewildered. The pursuit is one that induces madness, and even possession doesn't guarantee happiness. These were the lessons he would learn. _

If anything, it was slightly embarrassing. But then, many great women had tributes such as this – writing, painting, sculpture. It was just that it was Humphrey. This was the crux of the matter – anybody else and she'd been unreservedly thrilled, and free to preen – sweeping through life and the UES just as he said. But it was Dan. It made everything both hollow, and somehow far, far more meaningful. She hadn't even thought of anybody else reading it. She pulled out her phone, and then ignored the impulse. No doubt he was busy being serenaded by New Yorks literary scenesters. They'd catch up later, and she'd give him no mean piece of her mind. This was going to have some ripples, not least with her best friend.

Speaking of whom, Serena hadn't come home the previous night...

"Dorota! We're going out! Now!"

Hiding was never an option for a Waldorf.

Chuck settled into the upholstery, and glanced out of the window for a minute or two before retrieving the magazine. Humphrey's story. No doubt another mooning ode to Serena. His mouth curved into a smirk as he read the title. Queen of Diamonds?

He folded the magazine over and checked his emails before beginning to read, the amused smile lingering on his face.

The smile began to fade, almost immediately. This was not about Serena.

Dorota's copy had been purchased surreptitiously on the way to pick up Blair's dry cleaning. She read it voraciously as Anastasia slept, and although a couple of the more Hipster Humphrey references were all but lost on her, it was clear that here was someone who knew Miss Blair almost as well as she did.

She smiled with the smug satisfaction of one who could claim to have seen this coming, and clucked at sleeping Anastasia. If any worry crossed her mind, it was of the reactions of Miss Serena and Mr Chuck, not to mention everybody else.

For a moment, Serena didn't know quite what to make of it. She texted Dan almost immediately, a knee-jerk praise reaction.

**It's not like your other stories, but its good! Well done, I'm proud of you. S xoxo **

She glanced over the story again, with mild pride and comprehension suddenly dawned. Something she had either missed earlier, or ignored. None of this was about her. None of the things had ever happened to her. But Dan always wrote about her. He wrote about when they were together, when they were apart, when she was with other people and he thought of her, when he was with other people and he thought of her. This story – arguably his best – was nothing to do with her. When had she been replaced as his muse?

She read again, this time much more avidly. Each reference fell into place in a particularly resonant puzzle. It was incredibly obvious – her name was Holly, for crying out loud. She knew that Eleanor still called Blair "your highness" when she was either mad or particularly proud. She knew that Blair did have two laughs – a public and a private, and had to admire how Dan had likened Blair's facets to linguistic formality – tu and vous demonstrated through the tone of her laugh. Dan Similarly, she knew that Blair held her breath when she started to cry, and spoke French in her sleep.

The problem was, how did Dan find this out? Surely she'd noticed if they'd been spending any amount of time together?

She picked up her phone again and sent another text, this time to Blair.

**We really need to talk. Call me. S**


	3. Chapter Three

**This will be a bit of a Blair-centric chapter. **

**Apologies to those looking forward to the lovesquare-showdown, but I'm holding off on that until we've gotten the immediate reactions to the story out of the way. The shouting match comes later, trust me...**

**Enjoy, and then review (even if it's just a smiley, it lets me sleep happy knowing that some of these hits aren't clicking away in immediate disgust!)**

**EDIT – even though I am british in britain and using a british laptop, some weird chinese symbols have apparently appeared towards the bottom. I think these have gone now, but can someone confirm this? Sorry for the annoyance! Thanks x**

"Miss Blair-?"

"Not now, Dorota, I'm pondering." Blair picked up one of the Viviers and regarded it very, very seriously.

"This is not the time to buy shoes, Miss Blair." Dorota hissed.

Blair frowned darkly. "Blasphemy, Dorota. What would you have me do, hm? Go to Brooklyn and tell him-"

"Tell him?"

"Tell him I did not appreciate finding that our time together had been little more than research for his magnum opus."

"Miss Blair-?"

"Whose side are you on? It's a good job that nobody on the Upper East Side reads short stories, or else I'd have a lot more to worry about. You don't suppose anyone found it by accident?"

"I'm sure the only people to have read it are you and Mr Humphrey himself." Dorota said, blatantly lying and not even well enough to remotely soothe Blair. She couldn't bring herself to be entirely enraged.

In fact, she wasn't enraged at all.

She was only...apprehensive. There was something quite sweet about the gesture of the story in itself, if she ignored the fact that it was Lonely-Boy-Cabbage-Patch himself who had written the thing. And even that wasn't quite as hateful an idea as it might have been a matter of months ago. Not hateful, whatsoever.

"Oh. Dorota, it's Serena. What should I do?"

"You'll have to talk eventually. It's better on phone!" Dorota reasoned, wisely. Blair frowned and hit the accept button.

"Morning, S."

"Blair, I read Dan's story."

"What?"

"Dan. His story in the New Yorker."

"Must have slipped me by." She said, archly, lifting up an alternative shoe as though to enhance the charade.

"Blair, are you serious? It's about you. He mentioned the Your Highness thing your mom used to do."

"Please, S, he's probably borrowed a few anecdotes here and there. No idea is truly original, after all."

"B, are you sure you didn't read it? It's not like you to be behind-"

"Behind? As though Humphrey is some new social phenomenon?"

Serena sighed, exasperated. "Whatever, Blair. Read it and call me back. Better still, come over. I'm at the Penthouse."

"No can do, super busy today. Talk later."

"Well. That was about as good as can be expected." Blair said, matter of factly to Dorota.

"You don't have to lie to her." Blair span around, shocked. Not Dorota then. "Humphrey! Well."

She suddenly blushed, and stepped backwards into the shoe display. "How did you find me?"

He smiled sardonically. "You were hiding out here? Let's be honest, Vivier wasn't the most imaginative hiding place."

"Waldorfs do not hide, Humphrey. I have nothing to be hiding from."

"You did read it, didn't you? I sent you a copy."

"I know." She said, slowly. Dorota had managed to melt into the background, and was avidly looking at the accessories display.

"You just told Serena-"

"We both know Serena overreacts. As a matter of fact, Humphrey, I did read it."

"And?"

"It was engaging, concise and made interesting use of metaphor. What do you want, Dan? A full-page critique?"

"A simple yes or no would be nice?"

"Yes or no what?" She half shook her head. Already she sounded less sure.

"Blair."

"One thing. Why did Holly choose to be hated rather than pitied?"

"Because you did."

His voice had dropped and his eyes had become both incredibly focussed and very soft.

"But hated?"

"I understand why, but you do intimidate people."

"People? You?" Her voice was little more than a whisper.

"Maybe sometimes." He admitted, eyes crinkling with a smile.

There was an incredibly pregnant pause.

"Yes." She said, emphatically.

"Yes what?" The words were not aggressive. They were almost casual. Just a fraction too strained.

Serena was standing behind them. They were still, quite unbelievably, in Roger Vivier. Just a couple of yards from a shop-window. Blair glanced around and seemed to snap out of it, whatever it was.

"Yes, I read Dan's little story." She said, breezily, turning to Serena. "Do you like these or these best?"

"Blair." Serena looked unhappy, her tone was reproachful. This was not going to be pretty.

Dorota sighed, and swiftly texted Vanya from her observation point by the accessories. She might be a little late back.


	4. Chapter Four

_**A/N:** Hello hello, I know that there were a few tech issues at the end of the last chapter, so there's a little overlap to make sure everything was clear. Thanks again to all my readers, and I hope you like this chapter. It's a bit short, but I've had a busy busy busy weekend._

_:) xxxxxx_

**CHAPTER FOUR:**

"Yes." Blair said, emphatically. Dan's eyes widened with shock, the realisation that she had-

"Yes what?" Both of them turned to see Serena was standing behind them. Her words were not aggressive. They were almost casual. Just a fraction too strained. She was not happy.

They were still, quite unbelievably, in Roger Vivier. Just a couple of yards from a shop-window. Blair seemed to snap out of it, whatever it was.

"Yes, I read Dan's little story." She said, breezily, turning to Serena. "Do you like these or these best?"

"Blair." Serena looked unhappy, her tone was reproachful. This was not going to be pretty.

Dorota sighed, and swiftly texted Vanya from her observation point by the accessories. She might be a little late back.

"B, why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"About you and Dan, Blair. I think the story was pretty obvious."

"There is no Dan and Blair, S. We've been spending some time together, attending a few foreign movies and exhibitions. But nothing more."

"Movies? Like, dating?" Serena frowned, although Dan couldn't help but notice she wasn't angry. She seemed more reproachful.

"Not like dating. It's just because nobody was here over Christmas break. And we do share some interests."

"Right. Like culture, and subtitles. We had the W internship together."

"You got her fired." S said, looking at Dan for the first time.

"Yes, but that was a misunderstanding. And I did get her un-fired."

"Then I got myself fired! So maybe it was all for the best."

"Still, you must have chosen not to mention this before." She had relaxed, and seemed to already have let them off the hook. Her attention was wandering, and probably to Ben. For the first time, the realisation was not coloured by jealousy and bitterness. If anything, it was a relief. Whatever guilt he might have felt was assuaged.

It's a good job, Dan thought suddenly, that Serena didn't really understand the story.

"We need to talk about this. Properly. But I have to meet Ben at one. I'll be home tonight B." She said, a little warning in her voice. Unspoken command. _And you had better be. _

She left pretty promptly, and Blair exhaled deeply, sitting on one of the little modern seats left out for people to try shoes from.

"I think we should talk." Dan said, after a pause. "Do you want to come back to the loft?"

She considered the options. Taking him back to her and Serena's place seemed not to be a good idea. Similarly, having whatever discussion in public was to be avoided.

"Loft it is." She sighed, standing. "Dorota, you can go home. I'm going to Brooklyn."

Unseen by Blair, Dan smiled. So they were out in the open.

When they arrived, Blair went to pick out a movie almost automatically. She refused Dan's offer of beverages or food, and sat a little stiffly on the couch. She had picked out Notorious, one of the handful of Hitchcock's that they'd not watched together before.

Blair was fidgety.

Dan put up with it for twenty minutes before he lost his patience and hit the pause button.

"Blair, what is it?"

"What?" She widened her eyes, but was still sitting stiffly.

"You're not at all relaxed. What's the matter?"

She sighed, and sat up straighter again, reaching to touch a loose curl.

"Blair!" There was laughter in his voice, which made it even harder.

"It's not the same. After your story, everything's changed."

He was a little hurt, but tried to understand how she must be feeling. He'd kind of outed her, and put her in a rather unwelcome spotlight.

"I only said the truth."

"Yes, but you said it to everyone. And now everyone has their suspicions."

"By everyone, you mean Chuck. Serena doesn't even mind, she's the only other one I'd understand your be worried about. ."

She sighed again and stood up. "I want some coffee."

Amicably, he stood up. "Then coffee you shall have. Although it will be decaf. You're wired enough already."

She shrugged and they relocated from the couch to the breakfast bar, where Dan got out the mugs and Blair filled the kettle. Their little domestic rituals sprung from their wash-and-dry session after Christmas. They had begun to move around one another with more ease than either had ever though possible, almost choreographed cooperation as Blair passed the milk to him without even looking up, Dan similarly extending a hand to receive it while pouring water into the mugs.

"What's the matter, Blair?"

"What were your intentions, Dan, in writing your story?"

"My intentions?" He was close to laughing again, but her face was so serious he held back. "My intentions were to put my feelings down on paper."

"Your feelings."

"My feelings for you."

She blinked and looked down at the drinks, a faint flush sweeping up her cheeks.

"You have feelings for me."

"I would have thought that it was entirely clear." He smiled crookedly, a little abashed but honest.

"I wasn't sure. You know, what with artistic license, and some of your other stories setting a precedent-"

"I like you Blair. I like you a lot. And if it took 4823 words to say it, I apologise. But that's what I had to say."

She blushed in earnest now, but looked up.

"I like you too, Humphrey." She said, with a half-wondrous tone.

He grinned. She still looked a little worried.

"What do you propose we do now?" She asked, with a half-hearted attempt at the clipped efficiency of her usual tone with him.

Dan smiled, and she felt a familiar fluttering of butterflies between her ribs. It was not unwelcome, but was unexpected.


	5. Chapter Five

**a/n: Just thought I'd use a little bit of ep17 as the ending was so perfectly done, so i hope you enjoy - review review review!**

* * *

"Dan." She said, very softly. With Blair, the simple act of using his first name had taken on such a loaded meaning. There was nothing throwaway or casual about her. Every word and every action was deliberate. And somehow, more special.

It was something he had picked up on a long time ago, but only recently had it become personal. He supposed that it was reflected in the way that she dressed. While Serena, and even his sister, might consider a lycra tube to be a sufficient dress, with Blair less instantly became more.

He remembered Nate mentioning something about how she would only let her boyfriend touch her hair. At the time, he'd thought it not only a little affected but childish. Now, it seemed exactly the way that a lady should behave. He almost chastised himself for thinking of her as a lady. But Blair was more lady than woman. Every other word sounded crasser, too biological somehow.

"Blair." He replied, and automatically found himself running his tongue over his lips. Her eyes flickered down and she mirrored the gesture. Silence stretched between them like elastic. The tension welled, like a river being dammed. Sooner or later...

"Oh for goodness sake, Humphrey." She broke first, he would always remember. Blair caught hold of his shirt at the collar and brought his lips to meet hers. It was the first time he allowed himself to believe that she did, really and truly, feel for him what he did for her. He wasn't imagining it, it wasn't fiction anymore. Her lips were softed than he'd imagined, and parted with a half-sigh.

It was the perfect first kiss. And for once, they were not interrupted and they were not constantly aware of other people. It was just Dan and Blair, at one beautifully formed point in time.

They broke apart, and regarded one another for a moment. "Blair-" He was going to say something, quite what he hadn't yet decided. It was a relief, a beautiful relief, when she just smiled and spoke. "Now's not the time for talking, Humphrey." And he kissed her back.

* * *

Chuck tossed back another glass of scotch. Something about this whole thing was making him feel slightly nauseated. He had read the story again, and while he was no literature expert, he was not stupid. He knew deep down he had no right to feel the way he felt. But how did he feel, really? A little usurped, wronged even. All that had happened - as far as he knew, and could reasonably gather - was that Dan Humphrey had written some piece about Blair. It was basically about what made Blair, Blair. It was not even a love story in the broadest sense. It was just so...he pondered, unwilling to specify it exactly - intimate? affectionate?

One thing was clear. Unless Humphrey was exceptionally perceptive (unlikely), he had Blair had to have been spending some time together. How else would he know her so well otherwise? It left Chuck feeling a little wrong-footed. Is this was the Raina interlude had cost him? He had turned his attention from Blair for one minute - at her request - and there was some sort of replacement for him already? But then, maybe this was Serena. She'd all but abandoned her apartment and had been spending most of her time in Brooklyn with Ben. This would have made life difficult for Humphrey...maybe it was natural that they would end up being thrown together. He also recalled seeing Dan and Blair at some sort of magazine event: that was it - they had worked at W together too. Maybe he was making a bigger deal out of this than was necessary.

All the same, if there was one thing that Chuck Bass knew, it was seduction. Perhaps he should visit Blair after all, make sure that his fears were unfounded.

* * *

As Serena headed home, she couldn't shake the feeling that something fundamental had changed. She'd been spending a lot of time with Ben, but surely she would have noticed Blair and Dan being on more than speaking terms? She couldn't exactly complain: for one, they were both single and she was with somebody else, not to mention the fact that she'd been pressing them to be friends for four years. But even so, she had enjoyed being Dan's muse. It meant that she too had some creative merit, some sort of talent. Whenever Blair would talk to her about cultured things - stuff she had next to no interest in - she would roll her eyes and let it wash over her, taking comfort in the fact that she had her own place in that world, and that was to inspire. Surely that was a better accomplishment than to just observe...

So where did Queen of Diamonds leave her? Replaced?

Whatever they might say about this being entirely innocent, she was still not happy.


	6. Chapter Six

A/N - Thanks again for all the reviews, alerts and favourites. I'm really enjoying writing this and I hope you like it too! Hopefully I will include some more excerpts from Dan's story soon - but I've kind of set myself up for a fall having enthused at length about how good it is. Duh. Anyway, please review - it's massively motivating! :D

* * *

**Chapter Six**

Blair couldn't get to sleep that night, but for once it wasn't because she was unhappy, or too exhausted, or too busy. She just couldn't keep the smile off her face. There was a small, childlike part of her that wanted to sleep so that morning would arrive sooner. Morning, when she had arranged to have breakfast at that little coffee place with Humphrey. Dan Humphrey. Who would have thought that someone from Brooklyn would have her so...twitterpated?

Her phone buzzed intermittently but it wasn't Dan so she wasn't interested. After an hour of being vaguely irritated by it, she tossed it into the laundry basket where the sound was muffled out by the folds of La Perla and Marc Jacobs.

She and Dan had decided to take this very slowly. So, although there was nothing she might have liked more than to spend the remainder of the week in the Humphrey residence, he had deposited her in a cab a little after midnight and made arrangements to meet eight hours later.

Dan lay awake, absently observing the digital clock on his wall ticking over from 2.04 to 2.06. He had been so keyed up since Blair had left, since he and Blair had kissed and kissed again, made hot chocolate, made out some more while ostensibly watching Funny Face, and then parted to their separate beds. So far, so PG-13.

* * *

The phones kept ringing...

Dan! Lunch TM? Reservations at Bradleys! I've missed you! :( XOXO S

B, I need to see you. Pick up your phone. C

Both went unanswered. The recipients just didn't have the time or inclination anymore.

* * *

"Good morning, Humphrey. You're early." She said serenely. He couldn't help but notice that she looked just as perfect as ever. Her lack of sleep was not betrayed in any way. If anything, she looked better than usual. She looked happy. In a healthy, non-strained way. "Morning, Waldorf." He passed her the already ordered coffee. "Thank you." She said lightly and sat down. "So, what are your plans today?"  
"Hoxton is delivering a lecture on Steinbeck this afternoon, and one creative writing seminar afterwards you?"  
"Two this morning, French Literature and then Art History. Then I'm helping my mother prepare for fashion week this afternoon." She sipped. It was still piping hot, he must have just ordered it. Punctuality was commendable. They talked and spent almost forty-five minutes over coffee, before she had to leave for her first class. He stayed a little while longer, taking out his notebook and writing some more. Lately, he just couldn't stop. For the first time since he was seventeen he was carrying around a journal. Noting everything. It was like Queen of Diamonds had opened the floodgates, he was inspired again!  
His phone buzzed weakly. Serena again? If he'd known that keeping his distance would work this well at getting her attention, he would have tried years ago! It was one of those cruel tricks of fate that he no longer really cared what she was whining about. Sure, Ben had upped and left. Nate was happily playing house with Raina. She didn't really have any friends of her own, in spite of appearences. He knew that she and Blair had drifted a little since his story, which gave him a little sting of guilt. He'd never set out to split them up.

One thing that did surprise him was the lack of reaction from Vanessa, from Jenny even. Not in a conceited way, but he'd been bracing himself for some sort of assault from both sides. But nothing but stony silence. Jenny hadn't called home in weeks, she never emailed him or Rufus. As for Vanessa, he still couldn't forgive her for what she had done. Maybe the silence was his reward for patience. Or something. He kept writing.

* * *

"Blair." Chuck's limo pulled up opposite the lecture theatre and he smiled lazily as the window panned down silently. "Good morning, Bass." Blair kept walking. She was determined to be polite, keep it light. No drama. "You've been avoiding me." "No, Chuck, I've been busy."  
"Is it Humphrey's story? Does it embarrass you?" He teased, frowning. The limo was moving at a crawl to stay level with her. The boy was persistent when he wanted to be, you had to give him that. "No, not really." She said, airily. "It's quite flattering, actually." "Flattering? Please. It's absurd."  
"He's your stepbrother, Chuck."  
"In the most removed way one can be."  
"Still."  
"What's the matter, Blair?"  
"Nothing." What worried him was that he believed her. It wasn't a defensive nothing, an innocent nothing. it was a truthful nothing. She was refusing to play and that was more frightening than almost anything else she could have done. "You're different."  
"I think we both are." She said, simply. "Listen, Chuck, I have to go to my next class. I'll talk to you later." And she turned left into the park, where no limo could follow. It hadn't been enough of a conversation to justify his exiting the car and going after her. He'd be chasing someone at walking pace. Someone who didn't want to be chased, who wasn't running. That wouldn't work. He was more irritated, more unsettled than he'd anticipated. "Drive on." He said, sharper than his usual laconic drawl. "Back to the Empire."


	7. Chapter Seven

Chuck's stomach felt as though it were being churned. He sat in the limo - staring with open shock out of the window. It was too revolting for even a look of disgust. Pure, unadulterated - horrified - shock. Blair was walking right down Fifth Avenue hand in hand with Humphrey - both of them talking and laughing and looking sickeningly happy in one anothers company.

And the worst part? Not one other person had noticed! Everyone they passed - rather than double-taking with equal shock that a Waldorf and a Brooklynite were giggling their way through Manhattan - people might even mistake them for a couple. It didn't bear thinking about. It had been different with Marcus, even with Nate. He'd always felt superior. And Blair had always been looking at him over their shoulders, Hell, he'd even gotten a kick out of it once upon a time. Not so now. She was too busy arguing about some obscure German film to be looking for him. How could he have taken his eye off the prize? First rule. There was no point putting himself through this, it was positively masochistic. Yet in the four days since he'd spoken to Blair, he'd seen her eighteen times - either following a Gossip Girl blast, a hint from Serena, anything he could extract from minions.

Nate and even Rainna were peculiarly unhelpful - always answering him vaguely and Nate even went so far as to firmly state it was none of Chuck's business where Blair was going that evening. He'd become almost protective, which was ridiculous. And infuriating. How on earth could Archibald have decided to take the moral high ground? In Chuck's mind, nothing was so unforgivable to Blair as cheating with Serena. Nothing he did-still, nobody would ever agree with him on that so he didn't bring it up. Nate and Dan had been quite close, at least until their petty rivalry over his stepsister flared up.

"Empire, Mr Bass?" He nodded, sullenly. Nothing for him here. He had to reconsider his strategy. Going in all guns blazing, knocking out Humphrey and carrying Blair off to the Empire was not going to work here. He needed deviousness, he needed finesse, he needed to be subtle and seduce her right back. It was good that this was his forte.

* * *

"You know what, I'm proud of you today, Blair." He let the door of the Loft swing shut, and Blair dropped her bag on the kitchen counter, already reaching for the kettle. "What for?" She sounded amused, seeing some sort of punchline coming. It was endearing. "Come on, you allowed yourself to be seen in public with someone from Brooklyn! Wars have started over less." He said, eyebrows raised earnestly. She shoved him playfully. "I'm serious, this is a gamechanger."

"You forget Humphrey, we're not playing games." She silenced any further protest with a kiss. "Dan?" Rufus' voice echoed from the room he had occupied. "Dad?" Dan flashed a look of mock horror at Blair, making her smile. Her eyes drifted to her lips. How much she'd come to be familiar with them in previous weeks. Every contour of his mouth, she had tasted. And it made her so very, very happy. Dan had noticed her staring, and was looking at her with the almost puppyish affectionate look she'd sometimes seen him wear before, around Serena when he thought nobody was looking. "Oh, hello Blair." Rufus, for one, was not exactly used to his son dating Blair Waldorf, but had no real issues with it. They seemed happy enough, and that's all that mattered. Besides, with one's wife facing jail time, things like teenage dating dramas tended to pale into insignificance...  
"Hello Rufus. Would you like some coffee?" She asked, a little too offhand. "Uh-sure." The sight of someone like Blair floating around the Loft's kitchen was always slightly unnerving. She frowned disapprovingly at the motley assortment of mugs but said nothing, but started humming lightly as though to fill the stretching silence.

Rufus glanced at Dan, but Dan was watching Blair - who was spooning instant coffee into mugs with a look of vague distaste, but also concentration. Dan spent all his time in cafes, you would have thought he'd have gotten in some proper coffee. But then he'd been preoccupied lately. Absolutely gone, to tell the truth. It was almost funny, except that they were both quite serious about this. Rufus hadn't voiced his concerns on this, simply nodding and saying something meaningless about support when Dan had come to him to "confess". He'd never taken to Blair, but then he suppose she was the opposite of the "easy-to-love" Serena. And she tended to act a lot older than the others. In some ways, she was much more like Lily that the real van der Woodsen children. The dark arts of society came to her all too easily. But then, she'd always been perfectly civil to him and he had no reason to think that she'd be bad for Dan. If anything - what with her encouraging him to write, to study, and their very civilised evenings spent reading or digesting obscure cinema. If nothing else, his grades were up and he'd been published. The opposite of how he had been with Serena, even Vanessa - not to mention the short-lived dalliances with Olivia, with Georgina. Blair, he reasoned, was not the type to take off suddenly, returning nine months pregnant with the child of an Eastern European gangster. Maybe they were suited to one another after all. It wasn't all that different to himself and Lily, really. The world was a strange place.

* * *

_A/N: kind of a slow, Dair-less chapter, I know, but I wanted to take a closer look at both Chuck and Rufus' reactions, letting time move on a little before we press forward. Don't worry!_

_Actually, people have kind of stopped reviewing which makes me sad - are you still reading this? Hello?_


	8. Chapter Eight

**Chapter Eight**

"Morning!" Blair trilled as she strode purposefully into the loft. Serena had made a point of giving Blair her own key. It had seemed almost ceremonial at the time, although both of them had tried to laugh it off. Blair did appreciate the gesture, and the key itself. She felt a hundred times better with Serena's "blessing". It was a shame that Chuck had taken to glaring at her and Dan whenever he saw either of them, but then she'd hardly expected him to propose a double-date. And wounded silence was better than the stream of taunts and constant wearing down. She could push him - and the vague worries over Serena - to the back of her mind and concentrate on her own life. Her own relationship. She walked over to her maybe-someday-boyfriend. "Wake up, sleepyhead."

Dan groaned and jerked up blearily. He'd been writing until just a few hours ago, a plot-fervour gripping him the night before, and had fallen asleep at the desk, his head slumped over the computer.

"Coffee." She said, handing him a hot takeout cup.

"You are an angel." He looked at her appreciatively.

"You've been busy." She said, bumping him off the chair. "Drink that, go for a shower and I'll look over this."

"It's hopeless." He said, half-heartedly, taking a huge gulp of the scalding coffee, making his eyes water a little.

"Caffeine, shower, go." She said, more sternly, and settled down, scrolling back up through the pages.

* * *

"You're inspired, Humphrey." She said loftily, although there was definite pride in her voice. He supposed it was obvious that this was much the same vein as Queen of Diamonds. In some ways, it was a companion piece. With a happier ending.

"And who's fault it that." He said, looking decidedly more human. When his hair was towel-dried it stuck up quite adorably, Blair considered objectively.

And when he talked like that, his eyes all focussed on hers, the butterflies became much more active.

"What do you think?" He asked, genuinely anxious over her reaction, her critique. Her happiness flared up then, fiercely bright. This moment was a sharp, brilliant piece of perfection - sitting beside him and acting the evil dictator of taste - the distracting scent of coffee and his lemony shampoo making her want to turn around and take hold of him and not leave the loft for a week straight...

She exhaled, focussing. "Well, the sleep deprivation becomes increasingly obvious. It's needs a good edit, of course. But you have a definite knack for turn of phrase. In places it's quite lovely."  
"Yes, I was going for 'quite lovely'."  
"No. It's good, Humphrey." Her eyes suddenly met his, and in a flash of sincerity he realised that this was high praise. Blair didn't give compliments, or indeed anything, lightly.

This morning, she looked rather like he'd imagined Daisy in the Great Gatsby, albeit brunette. Cloche hat, mary-jane shoes, shades of blush pink and mint green. Really, startlingly beautiful. His doe-eyed parcel of girly evil.

"Now come on. We're going out." She smiled at him, and he couldn't help but smile back - in spite of the neck-ache and tiredness.

"Out. Right. Out where?" Surely he'd not forgotten some brunch, some function.

"Look at it out there. It's spring. We're going to Central Park. I have bread." She pointed to the bags by the door.

"Really? You want to feed the ducks?"

"Yes. Now come on. If you're lucky, I'll let you take me to lunch at that Italian place you liked afterwards." She stood and reached out a hand. He took it, and off they went.

* * *

The pictures appeared on Gossip Girl that afternoon...  
**_SPOTTED The most OMG, WTF couple in the history of the UES. Yes, it's Queen B and Not-So-Lonely Boy, feeding the ducks and then each other in a day straight out of Lady and the Tramp. Sigh. Looks like love to us. Sorry C, looks like you well and truly lost this one_**.

* * *

"What do you want?" Jenny picked up the phone although she felt like flinging it out of the window. It was the eighteenth call from Vanessa that morning.

"I want to talk to you." Her voice came down the line, insistent and hoarse. She didn't sound happy. Good. Jenny swung her legs down off the bed.

"What? You're my friend now? You sold me out, Vanessa."

"I know, and I'm sorry. We don't have to like each other. You know about Blair Waldorf and your brother, right?"

"So he wrote some dumb story."

"They're dating."

"I really doubt that."

"They are, Jenny. How can you have mised this? It's all over Gossip Girl. They've been skipping around Manhattan."

"I unsubscribed. Maybe you should too." She was bored of this, whatever Dan was doing was his business. Even if it was Blair.

"Jenny, this is serious. Whatever you think about me, you have to hate Blair more."

"Do I?"

"She banished you!" It sounded petty now, the words coming from Vanessa's jealous, bitter mouth.

"I did something pretty bad." Although few would have believed it, Jenny was genuinely ashamed of what she'd done. In the time out of the UES bubble, she'd realised that she'd essentially become twisted by it all, and it had turned her into a person she'd never set out to be. She'd slept with Chuck Bass. Worse, she'd lost her virginity to him. It still made her feel skeevy. When she knew he and Blair were more than meant to be. No wonder Blair flipped out, she'd have probably done the same thing.

"We both know it's pretty hard to fend Chuck off."

"Vanessa. Don't."

"We need to do something!" Her voice turned shrill. She was at the end of her tether, probably obsessively checking the gossip girl website for Dan and Blair "news". She was vulnerable now. Her weak point had always been Dan, his turning on her for her nemesis must be _killing _her. Excellent. Ok, maybe this could work in Jenny's favour...

"Yeah, I guess we do. I'm in. What's your plan?" She sounded interested, and smiled to herself as Vanessa began to vent and plot. Nice as the quiet had been, she'd be lying if she said she hadn't missed the drama.

* * *

**A/N: Ok, i'm seriously amazed by the number of "I'm still reading" messages and reviews I got this week, so THANK YOU GUYS! I love writing this story and I love that you are enjoying reading it!**

**The bad news is that I'm not going to be around for a few days, so there won't be any updates for a little while...I hope you're still here when I get back. And I will keep writing and just upload when I have the chance! **


	9. Chapter Nine

**Chapter Nine: **

"What do you want?" Chuck snarled. He wasn't in the mood for this. He needed to think.

Every day, more and more sickeningly adorable pictures of Humphrey and Blair were popping up on Gossip Girl, with increasingly supportive taglines. Not even Gossip Girl herself was giving them that much of a hard time. The odd barbed comment, maybe. But not at all what he had expected. Was he the only person who considered this to be the Twilight Zone?

"You wouldn't take my calls." Vanessa said, sitting down without being asked. "Nobody has been taking my calls. Which is a shame, because I think we can all help each other."

"What makes you think I'd have anything to gain from working with you? Look how well it turned out last time we worked together... "

"This is different. Just one push, that's all it's going to take. It won't last, Chuck. They have nothing in common. It's going to burn out soon enough. Maybe it was inevitable, they were the last two standing that hadn't...They just need to get it out of their sys-"

"Vanessa! What are you doing here?" Jenny interrupted, striding into the penthouse, her tone warning but not unfriendly.

"The day just keeps on getting better." Chuck observed drily, shaking his head in disgust. "Two of my least favourite people, both of whom had made various attempts to ruin my life. And it's not even lunch yet."

"I'll handle this, okay." Jenny said, firmly and with emphasis to Vanessa. "You can go now."

Vanessa regarded her coolly for a second, but seemed to realise that she wasn't going to get through to Chuck. For all she mistrusted her, Jenny was a pro-schemer...and, in some twisted way, Chuck did owe her for getting her banished. That, and their shared stepmother. Maybe she was the best person to handle him.

"Fine." She stood. "I have things to do anyway. Chuck. Jenny."

Chuck waited until the door was closed behind her before turning his attention to Jenny.

"What do you witches want with me anyway? I'm in no mood for your ill-advised plotting."

"She's almost as jealous as you, but she's going about this the wrong way. The last thing you want to do is give Blair a reason to hate you." Jenny said, matter of factly, sitting down opposite Chuck and leaning back.

"What's this about, Jennifer?" His interest, admittedly, was slightly piqued.

"Listen to me. We're going to work together. Vanessa's on a sabotage mission but we can save this."

"Why would I want to save their obscene parody of a relationship? It's the bane of my existence."

"Think about it Chuck. You acting all high-school and plotting isn't going to work. It will make Blair think she made the right choice after all. What you have to do is show Blair you've changed. You're going to help me and we're going to sabotage the sabotage. Blair and Dan will see how we've helped them. Gratitude! Realisation you're not a jerk afterall! Blair won't be able to resist, and voila! It's Bass-proof."

Chuck regarded her for a moment. "Why? What have you got in this?"

"Two things. First off, Blair will have to accept me properly if I help her out. Secondly, this thing with her and Dan isn't going to last, not while you're around. Everybody knows that. I don't want my brother getting kicked about yet again. He doesn't deserve that. He needs to find someone outside of this box. This is the best way. And voila! Everybody wins!"

He nodded, slowly. "Are you sure you're not a Bass."

It had been long enough to joke, she figured. "God, I hope not." She said, smiling, and a flash of the old Jenny emerged from behind the peroxide and eyeliner. The quite sweet teenager trying to fit in, to prove herself. He almost smiled back. "So what's Vanessa's plan? And how are we going to stop it?"

* * *

"There's a showing of Norwegian Wood with Q&A with Jonny Greenwood on Friday night. I got us tickets. Especially now you like Radiohead." Dan and Blair were at the sink in the loft, washing the dishes after another perfect evening of shared interests and vaguely barbed but extremely cultured conversation.

Blair smiled, absently. That wasn't like her. No dig? No witty comment about modern film and it's inherent inferiority to classic cinema?

"What is it?" He frowned and smiled at the same time. Nothing was genuinely wrong - he could always tell, but she was distracted.

"Serena is going away for the weekend." Blair said, casually, concentrating very hard on rinsing a teaspoon.

"Really?" Dan raised an eyebrow. "That's interesting."

There was a long, very pregnant pause. Dan continued to dry their wineglasses, almost too carefully.

"Oh for Goodness sake, Humphrey, do you want to come and stay or not?"

"Do you want me to stay?"

"Of course I do." She blushed then, and broke eye contact. "My bed is far superior to yours. I might even get some sleep."

"You didn't seem to mi-"

"Shh." She leant up to kiss him, gently at first to silence him, but their mutual attraction got the better of them.

Dan still hadn't gotten used to kissing Blair. She was an entirely different experience to anyone he'd ever been with before. It was almost a language, a conversation through lips and tongue. She was so sensitive and could make the lightest pressure so sexy and charged that he forgot where he was. And then within a second, everything would intensify and their kisses held more passion and more need than he'd imagined possible. Like everything Blair did, she was exceptional. Kissing wasn't just the prelude to something else with her, or a cursory, general thing. It had meaning, it had power. It had changed him.

"Your bed or mine?" He breathed, teasingly. She scowled, not wanting to stop but not wanting to let him win.

"Yours. Humphrey. Yours."

* * *

**A/N - Thank you so much for all your lovely, lovely messages, reviews and favourites! I am so, so touched and it makes writing this doubly pleasurable as I'm constantly guessing your reactions! And yes, I hate Vanessa too. A lot. I hope you like this chapter and where it's headed - I find Chuck in particular pretty interesting to write so I'd love to hear your feedback...I'll try and update soon, I have already written half of the next chapter so it shouldn't be too long this time. **


	10. Chapter Ten

**Chapter 10**

It was Sunday morning and the sound of the shower woke Dan up. It wasn't his shower, it's was Blair's. He was at Blair's. The door into the bathroom was ajar and the sound of humming came out over the sound of the spray. He lay still for a moment, listening to Blair mutter something to herself then open the glass shutters. The sound of the water changed as it hit her body and not the floor, and Dan rolled out of bed. Still bleary-eyed, he stumbled a little as he crossed the room and pushed the door wider.

"Morning, Humphrey. You do realise your snoring kept me up for much of the night." She didn't turn around, standing with her back to him in the hot stream of water. Steam rose in clouds around her and he couldn't help but smile.

"We both know what kept you up last night, Blair." He grinned, tugging off his underwear and stepping behind her. She turned, and half smiled. She looked heartbreakingly lovely, with mussed up, half-soaked hair and a sleepy face.

"What are you doing now?" She asked, with admittedly half-hearted derision.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm taking a shower." His lighthearted tone was a new one, most of the time she only saw the more serious side to Dan. He climbed in behind her and kissed her head, before playfully and unexpectedly nudging her out of the way of the water.

She shrieked with laughter, ducking back under the water, and lifted her chin to kiss him through the water.

* * *

Across the city...

"There's the opening of the Jean Fautrier exhibit this evening, Blair will definitely be attending." Chuck walked into the kitchen, where Jenny was sitting eating cereal.

"Dan mentioned it, but I'll call later to make sure he's still going." Jenny nodded, glancing at the program that Chuck had been sent over with his invitation.

"Perfect. All things going well, we force Vanessa's hand tonight. They'll both be there, and we can let Vanessa have her way until the crucial moment."

"Enter Chuck and Jenny, heroes of the day!"

"This had better work, Jennifer. I'm not going to be at all happy if this ends badly."

"It wont. It can't. This whole thing with Blair and my brother. It can't last, it's too out of character. They have nothing in common and they're fooling themselves."

Chuck nodded, and stood. "You talk to Vanessa. I have a meeting until noon. We'll confirm then."

Jenny nodded. "Bye Chuck." He looked at her for a second, then nodded back, curtly, and left the room. Jenny pulled out her phone and sent an innocuous text to Dan asking how he was and what his plans for the day were. He replied after a few minutes, confirming what she already knew. He was going to the opening.

Vanessa had rightly deduced that Serena was more of an obstacle to Dan-Blair Happiness than anyone else.

Both of them cared about her. And yet, while she had been pretty easygoing about the whole thing, it wouldn't be a huge stretch to make them both believe that Serena was a little less understanding. Both would be wracked with guilt, being essentially moral people and both of them close to Serena. And it would be done.

Vanessa had adjusted her overall aim from humiliation and maximum pain to simply splitting them up. The intial jealousy and bitterness arising from Dan's story had cooled into resignation and a determination to put a stop to this.

Jenny would mention to Dan that Eric had said Serena was taking it "pretty hard" but was putting on a brave face. He'd feel obliged to go and talk to her, smooth things over.

She, being the accomplished director that she was, would engineer a mise-en-scene for Blair's benefit of Upset Serena, Comforting Dan. Knowing Serena, this would not be a problem. She had never let Dan being attached stop her from seriously leaning on him before.

At the same time, Chuck would be with Blair. Picking apart the final threads that attached her to Dan. They had decided that the most effective, and lowest risk way to go about this was by simply allowing their natural underlying insecurities to implode the relationship from the inside out.

And if this didn't work, there was the riskier, bitchier back-up plan. The video that Jenny had sworn she could get hold of. The large screening room at the Museum. Chuck's contacts.

It was going to be an interesting evening.

* * *

_**A/N: Ok, so was worried about the shower scene (that sounds so Psycho, haha) but I just HAD to put it in. What did you think? And are you liking the plotting? **_

_**THANK YOU FOR READING! Your reviews (all 100 of them to date!) make me so happy! **_


	11. Chapter Ten and a Half

**A/N: SO to Celebrate 10,000 visitors (seriously, wow) here's a little half-chapter of Dair fluff/a bonus recipe created by yours truly before the whole scheme plotline kicks off...Enjoy! And Thanks so much for reading! And definitely try these out, I made them up this afternoon and they're amazing!**

**CHAPTER 10 1/2**

"So I had a great idea this morning."

"Careful, Humphrey, don't over-sell yourself."

"Do you want to cook later?"

"We don't cook. We get takeout."

"Well not cook, bake. I just bought a ton of food."

"What do you want to bake? Can you even bake?"

"Just you wait and see."

xxxxxx

"Where did you get a pumpkin?" She is dubious, but her interest is definitely piqued. Admitedly, it was tiny. And not in season. But it was a pumpkin! "Are

we making a pie?" Her whole face lit up.

"Come on Blair, there's not enough pumpkin there for half a pie. And you're not going to ever eat canned. But I got this recipe off my mom. And I think we can adjust it a little. There's enough pumpkin there for...PUMPKIN MACAROONS!" There is a pause while Dan stands holding up a handwritten recipe. His great idea.

She regards him with all his enthusiasm and pride with a strange smile. Her whole face has softened, and she just stretches up and kisses him lightly.

"Ok, Humphrey, where do we start?"

* * *

**DAN HUMPHREY'S SUPER AWESOME PUMPKIN MACAROON RECIPE**

_Estimated Time - 90mins (Actual cooking time went on for about three hours, but then both Blair and Dan aim for better next time)_

You will need:

For the Macaroons -

5oz ground almonds

10oz icing sugar

4 egg whites

1tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp lemon zest

Few drops of orange food colour (optional)

For the Filling -

2oz marscapone

1oz whipping cream

2oz icing sugar

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 small pumpkin

Brown Sugar and Cinnamon to taste

_HOW TO MAKE THE MACAROONS:_

Preheat oven to 180C

1) Prepare filling: Roast the pumpkin with sugar and cinnamon. Cool. Puree.

Whisk together cream, marscapone, icing sugar and maple syrup until thick enough to spread. Fold in the puree. Set aside in fridge until needed.

2) Mix together dry macaroon ingredients - almonds, icing sugar, cinnamon and lemon (you might need to sieve the ground almonds to keep them fine. Blair hates gritty textured macaroons)

3) Whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form

4) Fold together very gently as to keep air. Add maple syrup, orange food colour and vanilla at this stage.

5) The Loft didn't have a piping bag, so they just used spoons. You can do whatever. Just lay out on some baking parchment some little circles of mixture of about an inch wide and well spaced. Make sure you do an even number as two macaroon halves make one whole!

6) Leave them to stand for at least 30mins. THIS IS IMPORTANT!

7) Put them in the oven with the door kept slightly ajar. They cook very quickly so you have to be careful and watch them now!

8) After maybe 7-8 minutes, they should look firm but not brown. We want to keep the lovely pastels!

9) Allow to stand a second, then remove from parchment with a spatula or wide knife. Try not to break them up!

10) When properly cool, spread some filling onto one macaroon and sandwich together. Repeat until all is used up!

11) Eat, preferably while watching Breakfast at Tiffanys with a beautiful hipster from Brooklyn.

12) Next time, why not try some exciting variations? Such as adding pecan nuts, using sweet potato instead of pumpkin or going all out with another flavour entirely! The same basic recipe can be adjusted a thousand different ways!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The last macaroon had been eaten. The two of them were sat in a sugar-coma on Dan's sofa half-watching a movie and sipping tea. The smell of sweet cooked pumpkin had permeated the Loft and made Blair feel sleepy and happy.

"Jenny just texted me out of nowhere. Asking what I was doing today." Dan said, and it was half a question. Half asking Blair, silently, what she thought ofit.

"Really?"

It was a testament to how little Blair trusted anybody - and how well she knew schemes - that she too realised that this was slightly unusual. Jenny never texted Dan, and if she did it was always a grudging reply to three or four of his messages.

Serena would have just written it off as a non-incident. But the tone was all wrong. And Dan and Blair had both felt for several weeks that they were in a lull before the storm sort of period.

"I told her the truth. That I was going to the exhibit."

"Hmm." Blair turned back to the movie screen, nestling a little deeper against his shoulder. "So do you think anything of it?"

"Well, it could just be coincidence. But I had another missed call from Vanessa."

"You think they're planning something?"

"Probably not. But I guess it's better to be on guard."

"What would they have in mind? Does Jenny even know about us?"

"I assume so. It's not exactly private anymore. But then she never talks to Dad or Eric."

"What about Vanessa?"

They weren't even pretending to watch the movie anymore. But then they'd both seen Don't Look Now heaps of times before.

"I doubt they're talking." Dan pulled a face. "Not after Vanessa's stunt before Christmas."

Blair nodded, thoughtfully. "I say we just act as normal, but with our eyes a little more open than usual. Yes?"

He nodded, but a little crease of worry remained between his eyes.

"Maybe one day I'll be able to have a relationship where I don't have to watch my back."

She laughed joylessly. "Not on the UES you won't. But at least we have the Brooklyn Bubble."

"What, this foul hovel?" He joked, playing with her hair.

"It's not a hovel, Dan. I never said it was a hovel. Just the shabby side of shabby-chic is all. And now, it's a bakery too."

He grinned. So what if most of their macaroons had been misshapen, partially singed and crumbled away. And now Blair had a fine dusting of icing sugar on

her hair which made her look thirty years older. He'd burned his thumb on the oven holding it ajar. But it was the best afternoon he'd had in a long time.

They'd reached such a good place, and he'd be damned if he let Jenny or anybody try to take this away. His arm around Blair tightened a little, and so did his resolve.

Just let them try.


	12. Chapter Eleven

_**A/N: Back to the story. I'm totally on a roll right now! **_

_**I hoped you liked the little interlude last chapter though...and did anybody try making my Dair macaroons yet? **_

_**I hope you enjoy this chapter, it isn't Gossip Girl without some sort of society event so I thought it was high time we had one here. Enjoy and please review!**_

* * *

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

Blair stood alone in front of the sculpture, absolutely still, her head slightly tilted to one side. She was dressed impeccably as ever - a combination of muted Bensoni print dress, Marc Jacobs mary-jane heels and a Chanel purse. She regarded the work critically but appreciatively, a small frown on her face. To all observers, she was engrossed by the art.

Her phone buzzed silently. Dan.

**V is here.** **We were right. **

Dan was at the other end of the gallery, not too far from the only entrance. He was on sentry duty, they'd joked. Just to be sure...

"Good evening, Blair." Chuck was suddenly standing beside her. She flipped her phone shut and pushed it away.

"Hello Chuck." She was a little guarded, he noticed, but still very cool and polite.

"Not with Humphrey?"

In spite of the slight barb in his voice, she had a strange inkling that he was trying pretty hard to be civil.

"No." She didn't elaborate.

She didn't tell him Dan was at the other end of the building, and they were already staying two steps ahead of whatever little plan he had concocted with the double disaster squad of Jenny Humphrey and Vanessa Abrams. She didn't tell him that they'd pretty much spent the past seventy-two hours straight in their underwear (or less) feeding one another leftover macaroon filling with their fingers. She didn't tell him that she'd never been happier.

Instead.

"How have you been?"

"Not great, I'll admit." He nodded, with a rueful smile.

"I'm sorry to hear that." She was, genuinely. No matter what Chuck had done, he didn't really deserve to be going through all this drama about his father alone. But this said, Blair didn't feel all that guilty. With the best will in the world, it wasn't her problem anymore. As her friend, she

didn't have to spend nights awake worrying about his mental state, his issues. She could worry for him now, and even from time to time. But a switch had been flicked in her mind, and it felt good. Dan didn't make her worry, he alleviated hers.

He nodded again.

"Have a nice evening." She said and touched his arm as she passed, and in that second, he knew that she was over him this time. Really and truly. No backward glances, no prickles at him or charged banter. Just politeness, friendly concern and she was looking over _his_ shoulder for the first time ever.

And then Chuck Bass understood.

That there was very little he could do about it.

Blair genuinely believed herself to be in love with Humphrey. Even if she hadn't admitted it to herself yet. He knew her, and he knew it.

* * *

"Jenny's here too." Dan murmured as he passed her a drink.

"Ooh they called the cavalry." She said, with mock-horror. Truth be told it was quite exciting. And Dan's whole Bond demeanour was surprisingly sexy.

"I hope you've had a chance to actually enjoy the exhibit. That is the reason we're here."

"Yes. I have. Chuck came to talk to me."

"Oh? I saw he'd turned up."

"He didn't really say anything illuminating. You should talk to Jenny."

"I will. Keep your phone on."

"Of course." She squeezed his hand and walked to where an associate of her mother was standing talking with Frieda Pinto and Scott Schuman.

* * *

"Jenny?"

"What?"

"Serena's not even here! You said she'd be here."

"Listen, there's not a party on this whole island Serena won't make an appearance at. And all her friends are at this one. It's only early. Just be patient."

"This whole plan hinges on us making Blair jealous of Serena. We kind of need Serena for this to materialise. Did you even tell Dan about Eric's concern yet?"

"No. I haven't had the chance. Don't freak out. I can't tell him until she arrives, and she'll be here. Try to enjoy the exhibits!" Jenny rolled her eyes and tried to push past, but Vanessa grabbed a hold of her arm and held her elbow tightly.

"I'm not here for the art, none of us are. This had better work out."

"Why do you even care so much, Vanessa? Dan's never going to go back to you, I hope you realise."

Vanessa's snarl froze.

"This isn't about that. This is about revenge. They can't just walk around being a couple after everything that's happened. They hated each other for years! It makes no sense."

"Whatever. I just hope you won't be disappointed." Jenny couldn't help but grin as soon as she'd walked past. It was sweet knowing that Vanessa would get exactly what was coming to her. With enough taunts, she'd act alone and prematurely. Leaving Jenny and Chuck to pick up the pieces. Just as they had planned.

* * *

"Have you met my boyfriend Dan? He was recently published in the New Yorker. A short story. About me." Blair was as poised as ever but Dan could feel the notes of pride in her voice. Pride to be introducing Dan Humphrey, published author and her boyfriend. Aged twenty. Who'd have ever seen this one coming?

"Dan Humphrey, why I do remember. Queen of Diamonds, right?"

The woman Blair had dragged Dan to meet regarded him with interest. He was a little tongue-tied. Blair glowed at the mention of the story, and a surge of joy let him speak again.

"Ms Williams, I'm a huge fan."

"Likewise." She smiled drily. "Are you enjoying the art?"

* * *

"Did you see that?" He muttered to Blair as soon as they were alone again.

"Vanessa is not happy with your sister." Blair smiled and took a sip of her drink.

"This is quite amusing. Watching them flounder."

"I'm so curious now - what do you think they have planned?" Dan glanced around to where Jenny was in earnest conference with Chuck. Blair followed his gaze, and frowned.

"I'm not sure. It wont be terribly subtle, knowing them. But if Chuck's involved it could get messy."  
For the first time, a flicker of worry crossed her face. He reached out to touch her shoulder.

"Hey. It's okay. We'll brace ourselves for whatever they throw at us, and then we'll laugh at their faces when they realise we knew all along. It's going to be fine, Blair. I promise. Nothing they can do can split us up. Don't you know that already?"

She smiled and reached up to kiss him softly and chastely on the lips. Their no-excessive-PDA rule was just about intact, until Dan reached around to cup her face and kiss her deeper. Never mind. It was a bad rule anyway. They broke apart and Blair blushed a little at the variety of mildly curious – but not scandalised – stares from those immediately around them. Others hadn't even noticed. The sky hadn't fallen in. She'd done nothing but kiss her boyfriend. She spotted a familiar face through the crowd, walking towards her with a conspiratorial smile and a beautiful deep-yellow dress. Blair smiled at her best friend.

"Oh, hello S, I didn't know you were coming!"


	13. Chapter Twelve&Thirteen

_**A/N: Beloved readers. Thank you again for all your feedback - always massively massively appreciated. You should see my happy-face whenever I get a gmail notification. Awesome. Ok, so I am kind of mean to Vanessa in this chapter. And she might come across excessively badly. I'm sorry. I hope you don't mind, it's just she's such an awful character. I do quite like "unhinging" her and making everybody hate her. It's kind of cathartic...**_

_**Also, I'm kinda sorry if this is a little cheesy. It's just I've been in a good mood and it's probably reflected in here A LOT. As a result, whole lotta fluffy bits and happy Dair. But then I think GG would benefit from a few things actually going Blair's way for once. So enjoyy :D xx**_

* * *

**Chapter 12 + 13 **

**(the numbering is out of whack because of my halfchapter, and I wrote a lot today so this is a double-chapter entry... that makes sense, right? Or we could just be skipping 13 like they do in especially superstitious hotels. Whatever.)**

* * *

Serena grinned and leaned to kiss Blair's cheek. "I wasn't going to but my mom said I should. We were on the phone when I saw the blast. She said I should enjoy myself. I think she's living vicariously through me, being away from her world."

"Blast? What blast?" Blair was on alert, what if something about the plan had been leaked?

"Nothing major." Serena was amused and slightly worried by Blair's sudden paranoia. "Just that you were spotted talking to Chuck. Don't know how Gossip Girl manages to have moles in every event in town, but there you go. Everything ok, B?"

"Yes, yes. Dan and I just think that they might be up to something. Knowing Chuck, knowing Jenny, knowing Vanessa." She swayed her head from side to side with each mention of their names, narrowing her eyes.

"Wait, Jenny and Vanessa are here too?" Serena gave the room a sweeping glance. "Good job I did come. You could use the back-up. Not had any excitement since Ben left."

"Have you talked to him?"

"No, but I think I'm okay about it. Just something I needed to get out of my system. Unfinished business from years ago, I guess. To tell the truth, I am enjoying being single again, you know?"

"You do seem happy." Blair smiled affectionately at her best friend. "Come on, let's get some drinks. And then we can work out what to do about the terrible three?"  
"I'll help!" Serena said happily, taking Blair's outstretched hand. "Scheming is much nicer when you're in the right."

* * *

"Serena's here." Jenny hissed to Vanessa. "Happy now?"

"Ok, so what shall I do?"

"I'll go talk to Dan about how bummed Serena is. You stick close to Chuck. When Dan goes to find Serena to have a little heart to heart, Chuck can steer Blair over and say what has to be said. Piece. Of. Cake." Jenny whirled around, spotting Dan hovering not far from them. Vanessa nodded, glanced at Dan and then turned to go into the main exhibition Hall to find Chuck.

Jenny waited for her to leave and sauntered to where Dan was standing, looking more than a little curious...

"Hello stranger!" She said, brightly, sidling up to him. "What on earth are you doing here?" He cut straight to it. "I'm back anyway, thought I could see everyone."

"And Vanessa? I'm surprised you're even talking to her."

"She's a psycho, Dan. I swear. She's gone all crazy about getting you back. It's creepy."

"Right..."

"She keeps badgering me and Chuck to help her. She's flipped. She's actually flipped."

"She doesn't look like she's flipped to me. She just looks kinda angry."

"She's obsessed with you. I think, in a sense, she always has been. Every time you've had a relationship, she's been there, remember. Hanging around in the background, waiting to wreck things. Well, she's going to try again and I figured you should know."

"So you are here for a reason."

"She let slip something, and I thought I should drop by."

"Maybe you should just keep out of this Jenny. Getting involved has never ended well for you in the past. I'll see you later, okay?"

Much as he loved his sister, he wasn't all that sure he liked her anymore. The eagerness in her eyes as she'd told him - quite gleefully - of Vanessa's downward spiral was not at all like the little sister he'd been so close to once upon a time. Maybe it was her age ... Blair and Serena seemed to have grown out of it, who's to say Jenny wouldn't too?

* * *

Vanessa was irritating Chuck. She hovered close by, not engaging in his conversations which suited him fine - but her general demeanour seemed to be repelling people he really should be talking to. She was glaring at anybody and everybody like a crazy person.

"Listen, I think I can handle things here. Go and enjoy the art, Vanessa." He said, eventually tiring of her.

She looked at him with an expression peculiarly like the one habitually worn by the Cat Lady in the Simpsons - it was unnerving to say the least. Maybe what Jenny and he had banked on had actually come to pass - she'd officially lost whatever composure she'd once had.

"You and Jenny keep telling me to go look at the art! I don't care about the art!"

The last part came out a little too loud in the muted gallery. More than a few people turned to look at her with scandalised expressions. Everybody had to like the art, even if it was pretence 90% of the time. It wasn't done to simply shriek like that in public.

"Well done." He said sardonically, wondering how he'd ever found her attractive enough for even a one night stand.

She stared at him for a beat. "I'm going to find Dan."

"Bad idea." He said, lazily, not meaning it but making the token gesture. She shook her head and stalked away.

* * *

Dan, Blair and Serena were standing in front of the exhibition centrepiece with champagne cocktails and programmes in hand. Dan and Blair were quietly hand in hand, and Serena had been sharing long glances and coquettish smiles with a hottie in Armani standing across from them.

Blair had been giggling at Serena's "Bond-Girl-meets-Blue-Steel" look - the result of years of practice. You had to hand it to her. Impressive.

Dan was watching with baffled curiosity. Had that worked on him? He couldn't remember thinking Serena had ever been obvious, but maybe it was different when you were in the glare of the Serena Van Der Woodsen headlights. Coherency fails, social graces are abandoned and you become a fourteen year old boy all over again. Not that Armani was struggling, he was watching her with avid interest.

Vanessa bounded over to him, looking harrassed.

"Dan. I need a word."

She stopped and stared for a second at Serena, who was openly beckoning now at the Armani suit, with that killer smile. Blair was laughing affectionately behind her programme at her best friend's antics.

So much for that plan. Serena clearly wasn't losing any sleep over this. And neither of them would believe it either - they all appeared to be on perfectly good terms, and content to hang out as a three on top of it all. Damn.

"Seriously, what? Why are you even here?" Dan had long lost patience with his erstwhile best friend.

Vanessa recoiled, as though she'd been slapped.

Chuck came over, frowning darkly and addressed Vanessa. "I really think it's time you left."

Dan looked at him with mild surprise. So did Serena. And Blair.

Vanessa swivelled to stare at Chuck, more murderously. "What are you talking about?" Her words came out tightly, as though through gritted teeth. Real smooth, V.

"You're only here to cause trouble. My driver will drop you off home. Just leave us alone." For Chuck Bass, this was almost it not for the disgusted sneer underlying each of his words.

Vanessa stared at him for a long few seconds, seemingly in shock, then - letting out a great juddering on-the-verge-of-tears sigh, she turned on her heel and stalked out of the Gallery. Resistance was futile. They'd always stick together, that was pretty apparent after four years. If only she'd realised sooner. She should never have trusted Jenny Humphrey, or Chuck Bass...

"Excuse me." Chuck said, politely to Dan, Serena and (mostly) Blair. "I'll just call to let Arthur know."

Blair nodded and shot a slightly puzzled smile at Dan who returned it. Serena just grinned happily and allowed herself to be escorted to the bar by the very attentive Armani.

"Thank you, Chuck." Blair said, with the little frown still there. There was no love there, Chuck wasn't going to kid himself. But respect, that was a start, surely? For a minute, he felt a little like he had all those years ago at Prom. So long as she was happy...

* * *

Blair was more than a little confused by the evening's events. Why hadn't he just let Vanessa get on with whatever she'd planned? Had they been right to assume Jenny and Chuck were in on this together with her? Where even was Jenny? She'd disappeared pretty suddenly, and before Vanessa had even approached them.

* * *

"That didn't go too badly, all things considered." Chuck said, on the phone to Jenny, who was en route back to Hudson. She'd had enough for one week. Plus, there was school the next day.

"It could have been better. But at least Vanessa's gone. And we are blameless." She replied, silently pleased that it had turned out the way it had. Dan had been suspicious, sure, but there was nothing they could pin on her. For all he knew, she had been genuinely concerned and not just out for her own gain. Result. Speaking of which, she looked down again with a satisfied smile at the Blast and accompanying photo that had come through earlier...

**SPOTTED: V leaving this party in tears. Dare we hope that this is the last we'll see of her?**


End file.
